Man sentenced in assault on gay gas station patron

DETROIT (AP) — A man who admitted to assaulting another man at a Detroit gas station because he believed the victim was gay has been sentenced to 18 months in prison.

The Justice Department says Everett Avery of Detroit was sentenced Thursday in U.S. District Court in Detroit. He earlier pleaded guilty to a hate crime.

A message seeking comment was sent Friday to a lawyer for Avery.

Authorities say Avery punched Justin Alesna in the face in March 2011. Alesna says he was in line to buy cigarettes when a man told him he was standing too close and directed anti-gay slurs toward him.

Alesna says he told the man he was gay and was punched twice. Alesna later posted an Internet video showing his facial injuries from the attack.